A story
published today in the Christian Science Monitor says that Jeryldine
Tully never expected to join the ranks of single women homeowners. But
five years ago, after a series of what she calls rental "disasters," she
bought a small brick ranch in St. Louis. There was just one catch:
Although the two-bedroom house was structurally sound, the interior
needed work.

"I
didn't know what I was getting into," says Tully, public relations
director for St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

She has plenty of company. Single women now
purchase 1 of every 5 homes, while single men buy just 1 in 10,
according to the National Association of Realtors. By 2010, single women
- unmarried, divorced, widowed - will own 28 percent of all homes,
Fannie Mae estimates.

As they assume mortgages and settle in, many of
these women find themselves tackling repairs and renovations once
considered the province of men. Already two-thirds of women say they do
minor home repairs themselves, while one-quarter do major projects,
according to a Home Depot survey.

"It's really important for women to understand
how to do small things," says Sarit Catz, who writes a how-to column
called "Hammer Glamour" for Dish Magazine. "You can save a lot of money
by putting sweat equity in your home. With a little bit of knowledge and
the right tools, you'll be surprised how many things you can do around
your own house."

Some women handle routine maintenance
themselves, such as changing filters or caulking bathtubs, but hire
professionals for bigger jobs. Others learn how to deal with emergencies
- a clogged sink the night before Thanksgiving or a balky furnace in
January. Still others, like Tully, take on long-term renovations.

In the process, these homeowners are creating a
growing market for workshops, books, websites, and even tools designed
to increase women's skill and confidence. Home-improvement programs on
television that once showed women simply handing tools to male experts
now feature women doing repairs. In addition, Home Depot's
"do-it-herself" workshops have attracted 240,000 women in three years.

For many single women, who may have less
disposable income than men, a do-it-yourself approach is a necessity.
"When it comes to home repair, we need to be smarter about money," says
Lynda Lyday, host of a home-improvement show on the DIY Network. "We
need to figure out what we can do ourselves."

For Tully, the need to save money kept her
working from 6:30 p.m. to midnight for nearly two years. When she needed
advice, she often drew on the expertise of the retired men working at
Home Depot.

Eager to maintain her femininity as she wielded
power tools, Tully wore earrings, Chanel perfume, and lipstick. She even
drew red lips on the white breathing masks she wore while power-sanding.
"It made me laugh every time I caught a glimpse of myself in the
mirror," she says.

Many women need all the humorous moments they
can find. Recalling the time and effort involved in creating her "hip
and modern" interior, Tully says, "There's definitely satisfaction, but
the work got pretty old."

Mary Edsey, a writer in Chicago, has been
rehabbing a century-old frame house for 18 years. She has taken classes,
read Reader's Digest repair manuals, and watched "This Old House."

Yet she knows there are times when hiring a
professional is best. She once spent a whole day trying to repair her
washing machine. Finally she called a repairman, who fixed it in less
than an hour.

"When it comes to things I don't have the
muscle power for, I hire someone or borrow one of my friends' husbands
for a few minutes," Edsey says.

Many women draw the line at plumbing and
electrical work. They hire tradespeople.

Edsey knows it is easy to underestimate the
time a project requires. "I never knew in a million years it would have
taken this long. The problem is, you don't always have the time and the
money simultaneously."

Whatever the project or the budget, experts
stress the importance of having the proper equipment. "The tool makes
all the difference," Catz says. "It's not about being strong enough.
It's about (having) the right tools."

Some women like lighter tools designed for a
smaller grip. Catz prefers the regular size. "I don't recommend getting
a 10-ounce hammer," she says. "If you've ever picked up a child or a
gallon of milk, you can pick up a 16-ounce hammer. It's easier to nail
the nail with it. You have more force."

Lyday takes a different view. "I have spent 20
years in construction going through tools that were too big for me," she
says. She plans to market a line of smaller tools and specially sized
work clothes for women.

Despite women's impressive gains in home
repair, some experts see challenges ahead. Nearly half of women age 50
and over are concerned that they might not be able to keep their homes
up in the years to come, according to a study by Sears.

Women are not the only ones needing more
confidence.

"There are just as many men who feel
intimidated by repair as women," says Robin Hartl, former cohost of
"Hometime." "Men are afraid to go into Home Depot and tell someone, 'I
don't know how to do that.' Women walk into Home Depot and Lowe's and
Ace Hardware all day and say, 'Will you show me how to do that, show me
the right tool and what I need?'"

Asking questions is high on experts' list of
advice for women. "Even if you're not going to do the repairs yourself,
if you're somewhat knowledgeable, the workers you hire will treat you
with more respect," Catz says.

As more women buy homes, they will help to
demystify repair, experts say. "The biggest mistake women make is that
they've been told this is a guy's thing," Lyday says. "A lot of women
have bought into that. If you can understand complicated recipes, you
can understand how something gets put together. Then you can do it."

Tully, drawing on her experience, adds, "Hiring
out home repairs is sort of like having a nanny raise your child. You'll
never really understand the intricacies of its makeup or operation until
you've rolled up your sleeves and dealt with it all firsthand."